Real Madrid are in dire need of a good, impactful striker. They lacked a lot of things last season, but the one that stood out was the drought of goals. Real Madrid scored too little, especially in the games where it was a must to score many.
And even though Los Blancos may have changed their manager, it is a real problem they may suffer from even now under Xabi Alonso.
It is also for this reason that Xabi was reported to be searching for a Joselu-type profile in the market to sign. The need is real, and widening as we speak.
Until a few weeks ago, Los Blancos were supposedly eyeing the signing of Osasuna goal machine Ante Budimir to help fill the Joselu void.
His release clause is low, he was the third-highest goal scorer in La Liga, and he practically checked a lot of boxes. But it seems the idea has been dropped. Real Madrid may need a younger option. The 33-year-old Budimir is way off the mark for that.
Real Madrid’s striker is perhaps in their own backyard
Now, searching for a younger striker in the market is difficult, especially given how expensive young players are these days and that Madrid have already spent generously on Franco Mastantuono and Dean Huijsen.
But I propose that they need not go to the market this time. They have the perfect striker they need for the job in Gonzalo Garcia.
The Castilla graduate is one of the hottest young players to have emerged from La Fabrica.
Xabi’s trust in Garcia is no secret. He has started him in both the games he has coached, and the boy has delivered accordingly, with a magnificent goal in the first game and a very clever assist in the second.
According to SofaScore, Garcia has won 88% of ground duels per game. He is very strong, and this stat proves it. His aerial duel efficiency is decent at 50%, given that he is not the height of a conventional striker. But he is very good with headers and has scored some brilliant goals that way.
Garcia’s qualities, I must point out, very much align with the needs of Real Madrid: excellent in the air, top-class finishing, incredible positioning, and impactful passing.
He is what Madrid have been missing for a season, and may not need to go to the market looking for.